Of Legends and Lessons
by Will-o-the-Wisperer
Summary: "Legends are lessons" her mother used to say. She had never truly understood what it meant but when Fate strikes her path she's forced to see the grain of knowledge in a new light. She just hadn't counted on just how much Legend this lesson would entail. AU. Spell was not lifted- 18 years after Bear Queen of DunBroch incident.
1. Prologue

_Red. _

_She would always remember the deep shade of red the rising sun left splattered against the ancient ruins. Swirling patterns chiseled deep into the rock appeared to be aflame, the old stone awakened from its unfeeling slumber by the encroaching red that spilled down its ageless face. The clearing surrounding them seemed almost colorless in comparison. It was an angry red. A vengeful red. And it warned her of how quickly her time was running out. _

_With a grunt she heaved the tapestry off Angus and hauled it through the grass. Her fingers clawed at the heavy fabric, straining to get a good grip. Every step seemed to take longer than it should have. Her shoulder throbbed as the cloth dragged and snared on the uneven ground. Her body ached and she could feel the toll of the day's desperate scramble beginning to stiffen her muscles. _

_Finally she reached her mother. The queen watched silently as Merida gritted her teeth and threw the tapestry over her mother's furry shoulders. Elinor snuggled into the folds, her massive form barely able to fit beneath the cloth. Elinor looked down at her paws after a moment or two. There was no visible transformation. The red continued to burn across the stones._

_Elinor's features were difficult to read but her eyes spoke the volumes her body could not. She was scared it wouldn't work. She tried to smile weakly, to put on a brave face for her daughter until the very end, but Merida could see the fear beneath it. _

_She watched as her mother's breathing stretching the messy stitches running down the queen's spine. There had been a time when her lessons in embroidery had seemed so trivial. Merida chewed on her lip anxiously. How many lessons that she had once discredited would she now have given anything to have again if it meant her mother would teach her?_

_The scarlet had bled onto the grass and still there was no sign of any sort of change in her mother. Doubt was beginning to settle in the pit of her stomach and she tried to swallow but her mouth had grown dry. Merida searched her mother's eyes for any hint of a change as they remained glued on her, warm and loving as they had always been. _

_Suddenly the fear was replaced by a meaningful stare. Her chocolate brown eyes grew wide, as though seeing her for the first time. Merida held her breath- this was it. In the morning light her eyes seemed almost golden. They were bright, intelligent, and even as a bear they revealed the reigning monarch for who she was. But something wasn't right. The browns began swirling; growing dark and murky. A black pigment seeped through and soon overcame all other color until her mother's eyes were an unyielding obsidian. The polished lenses reflected Merida's own face as she watched in despair._

_"I-I don't understand" she whispered. Her mother's face suddenly grew slack, her lower lip protruding and her shoulders, normal high and proud, slumped forward as if in defeat. _

_Merida didn't remember exactly what she said then. Things she had meant to say to her mother, the times when she had wanted to explain to her and make her understand meant nothing now. It hadn't worked and the crushing weight of it twisted her insides. The words seemed to come anyways, apologies and pleas jumbling together and catching in her throat painfully before spilling out of its own accord. She remembered wishing she could have said them to her mother when it had truly counted- when she could have heard them and held her. Instead her mother looked away, her nose twitching as the light began to cast onto her face. She remembered hugging her mother, refusing to believe her to be gone. She remembered whispering the she loved her. Her mother did nothing._

_The bear did nothing._

_It waited as Merida sobbed onto its fur. When she could finally pull herself away it brushed up against her before ambling towards the other clans, claws digging into the ground as they bore the bear's weight. It seemed to watch the men, who nervously held their weapons at the ready at its approach. They remained still and the bear passed, until finally stopping before Fergus. _

_The king was still visibly reeling from everything that he had just witness and appeared rooted to the spot. His fingers tightened against the cub wrapped around his leg and the bear snorted. The triplets huddled closer to their father. _

_The bear grunted a bit more forcefully and stepped closer to the three princes. Hubert let out a cry and Merida knew they were confused and frightened by this bear that had once been their mother. She suddenly realized what the bear was doing and stumbled blindly towards them. The bear scooped up Harris who tried to wiggle out of its grasp, though the gentle pull was more than he could fight. Hamish was next but by then Fergus had gotten wind of what was going on and stepped forward to stop it. Merida threw her arms out for her brothers who jumped into them as she stepped behind her father. _

_"E-Elinor?" the king croaked. The bear did nothing in reply, pushing him aside to get to its cubs without so much as a second glance at him. Fergus tried again, this time attempting to grab the bear's attention by pulling at its arm. The bear's head rounded on him and Merida could see the red reflecting dangerously in its dark eyes. _

_It pulled out of his grasp and moved towards its cubs. Her brothers pushed up against her, shivering in fear as their already captured brother cried out. She held them close, whispering softly into their fur in the hope that they would take comfort in her voice, if not her words. The bear reached out and Merida shuffled backwards, her feet catching on her dress as she tried to move away. The bear let out a low growl, the rumble of it echoing deep in its chest. It was a warning- _give them to me_. _

_"Elinor. Elinor, please- ye can't…ye can't do this! Not them too-" the anguish in his voice seemed worst then if Fergus had been crying. But it was too late, the bear was already carefully taking them out of Merida's arms and shepherding them away._

_"Elinor!" Fergus roared. The bear paid no attention and the cubs could not escape from under its persistent shoving. No one dared to raise so much as a spear in protest and even Fergus flexed his fingers in frustration. He continued screaming for her but remain in place. His strength counted for nothing._

_Merida watched as they disappeared into the tangled trees of the forest, the cries of her brothers fading until they were no more. _


	2. Strangers in the Highlands

**Chapter 1**

* * *

Elinor held her hands out to her sides to carefully steady herself as she wedged her bare toes in the rough bark. Her heel broke off a sheaf of wood and her arms pin wheeled, the shoes draped across her shoulders pounding against her while she battled for her balance. The pads of her feet made it much easier to regain her footing and with a shift of her ankle she relaxed, allowing herself to look around over the trees.

The highlands were unusually quiet around her, though it might have been because she was so used to the underlying drone of guards surrounding her at all time. She allowed herself a satisfied smirk as she remembered how easily they had fallen for her diversion and managed to slip from their grasp. Her father would not be happy and would probably assign her even more men but for now she was content in knowing she could escape. Or in this case, slip away into the trees without leaving so much as a trace.

In the distance the guards called out to one another, desperately seeking her out in the undergrowth as though she could become a shrubbery by will. One of them yelled out her name and Elinor shook her head. Did they really think she would end their little game so soon?

Her eyes fell back onto the branch beneath her. Another tree bisected the one she was on a few feet away. It was a bit of distance and she would have to jump it but it seemed to be able to manage her weight. Probably. Taking a deep breath, she cleared her mind and focused on the branch. Her steps were light; her disheveled hair bouncing from the loose braid it had escaped from. A few more feet. Her lips pursed and soon she was airborne. She landed nimbly and the branch groaned under her weight. She kept her knees bent, waiting for the tree to settle. The leaves became still once more and she grinned as a confused raven flew around her in alarm at its new neighbor.

A sharp snap from the ground caught her attention. She didn't remember any of the guards getting this close. She crouched down lower onto the tree, hoping the green symbols of her dress would make her indistinguishable among the branches. There was another rustle and grunt as something moved in the brush. It didn't sound like anyone she knew. And it certainly wasn't something small.

Elinor was beginning to panic, her fingers clutching the branch. There was a chance it wouldn't see her this high up but maybe if she screamed loud enough the guards could hear her in time to rush to her aid if it did. A silvery strand of her blonde hair fell over her eyes and she scowled at how unnaturally bright it seemed in relation to the forest around her.

A deep growl and something emerged from the scrub. She craned her head a bit to get a better view and bit back a gasp.

It was a man. Or at least, the top of a man. She could only make out his broad shoulders and muscular arms as he swept the vegetation around him aside, appearing to be looking for something. She couldn't remember ever seeing him before in the palace, ruling out the possibility that he was in search of her and she couldn't see his clan tartan, making the work of identifying him near impossible. He scowled and shook his head, his mouth pulled back in a menacing snarl. She noticed that he had bits of leaves and twigs tangled into the curly locks of his fiery red hair. He wore it unusually long- almost passed his shoulders.

Elinor remained stone still, wondering if it would be safe to be noticed by such a man. She was the Princess, after all, that should count for something. Although he might decide to kidnap her instead once he found out whom she was and that she was alone. No, she would certainly not let him know she was alone.

The shoes around her neck were beginning to slip. She tried rolling her shoulders to reposition them but it only made it worst. Elinor made a final grab for them but they fell from between her fingers, heading straight for the ground a few paces away from the strange man. She winced as they landed softly in the moss below.

The man's head swiveled instantly to the shoes, teeth bared as he crouched low and at the ready. She could see his eyes flicker from the shoes to the tree branches above. He spotted her almost immediately, as though he had always known she was there. She froze, her heart beating loudly in her ears as he locked eyes with her.

Elinor was surprised to find how clear his deep sky blue eyes seemed, even from a great distance. They were wild, just like the rest of him, yet somehow…familiar. A small part of her mind instantly recognized them but she shook the thought from her head. It was impossible. Her mother was-

The man stepped back and suddenly seemed very uncomfortable. He hunched his shoulders in an attempt to make himself appear smaller but if anything it made him look even bulkier. Elinor could tell he was trying to make a run for it- she could see it in the way he shuffled backwards.

"Wait" she called out, but he was already melting back into the undergrowth. "Wait!"

He stopped, his gaze averted. He remained silent.

"Who are you?" she asked. When he didn't answer she moved up further on the branch.

"Are you lost? My father's close by- he'll be here any second if you need help. He's a strong fellow." He cocked his head to the side at her words, reminding Elinor very much of a puppy she had once had as a child. The comparison of such a large man with a tiny little dog was so amusing she giggled at the thought.

The man wrung his hands, his gaze falling on her discarded shoes. He moved forward cautiously, glancing at her every other step or so, almost as if he were afraid she would pounce on him. He bent slightly at the waist and picked them up. Her slippers seemed almost comical small in his huge hands. She watched as he fingered the ribbons, his eyes wide with curiosity. The man looked back to her and held them up, offering them to her. She hesitated, unsure whether to leave the safety of her tree to retrieve her shoes. Although this man could have probably scaled it effortlessly if that's what he really wanted. In the end it was the gentle look in his eyes that convinced her.

Twisting her body over the edge of the branch, she slid off and landed on the ground. He winced and retreated back another step. The thought stuck Elinor that maybe the man was just as scared of her as she was of him.

It seemed ridiculous that such a large man could be frightened of a small brown-eyed girl. It was one thing that she was weary of him; he was a stranger hiding in the shadows of bushes. Something her mother once told her faintly rang out in her mind and she thought about his point of view. She imagined it had been herself looking through the bushes, minding her own business when suddenly seeing a pair of shoes fly out of a tree. A feral girl in the branches could be a mortal threat to this man. He certainly didn't seem too keen to being close to her. She thought about how she must appear just as wild to him as he did to her. She hadn't really been too careful of keeping her royal appearance in order and her dress was wrinkled beyond repair. He father would have called her a spectacle. She decided to approach the man carefully. Relaxing her features into what she hoped would be a nonthreatening expression, she tried again.

"Could I have my shoes back?" she asked gently. The man suddenly perked up, whirling around behind him. Two more men, exactly like the one before her, wadded into the bush surrounding the first one. They too were hidden from view but she could tell by their hair and eyes they had to be brothers and therefore, of the same clan. They saw her and stiffened, brows furrowed as they glared at her dangerously.

The first man quickly stepped in closer to them and held his hands up to stop them. He whimpered softly and looked to the one on the right. Elinor could see the man stare past the first's shoulders with his piercing gaze fixed on her. He didn't say anything but looked her over once and growled. Elinor cleared her throat, ready to scream should he decide not to heed to his brother's strange grumbling. The other man listened carefully to the first, eyes wide and curious as he noticed her shoes. He crowed, pointing at them with a small smile. The first man nodded vigorously and looked back at her.

Elinor watched the whole "conversation" completely perplexed. She could always just make a run for it, shoes or not. She wanted to- a part of her mind screamed that she knew nothing of these blue-eyed men and she was hopelessly outnumbered. But a larger and by far much more curious part of her urged her to stay. They paid no mind to her internal conflict, continuing to communicate to one another in their strange guttural babbling. Perhaps they were planning something? The second one she wasn't sure about but the other two seemed fairly harmless. Maybe they really were lost.

The man with her shoes relaxed his shoulders and offered her the slippers again. Moving forward, he kept them in front of him at all times as though he were a child proudly showing her his new toy. The second watched his every move closely. When he approached the end of the bush and was about to step out into the clearing the second man snarled. It was a frightening noise and the first man froze. Lowering his head, he reached out as far as his arm would let him and held the shoes out. Elinor took a cautious step forward and grabbed them out of his hands.

"Thank you" she whispered. Her words brought a smile to the man's lips. It was a surprising kind smile on such a rugged face and it caused her to smile back. The other brother let out a light laugh that the second wrinkled his nose to. She must have done something to please them because they seemed to relaxed. The second was still eying her but at least he didn't look like he was going to attack. The princess pushed a strand of hair out of her face and noticed the way the third man seemed fascinated by her eyes.

"What's your name?" Elinor asked the first man. He whistled lightly, sniffing the air. He grinned and followed the smell closer. Elinor giggled as the strange man stuck his tongue out to taste whatever he smelled around her. At her approval, he took another step out of the bush, finally coming fully into view.

Elinor looked down and let out a high and loud scream that echoed through the Highlands. The shrill of it echoed and was quickly accompanied by shouts as guards crashed through the forest towards her. The three men were suddenly defensive, he first man confused and whining as he ran back into the bush to hide. His gentle eyes were wide with confusion.

They were naked.

Completely stark naked.

* * *

Author's Note:

I don't own any of the characters in this story except for the Highland Princess. I take credit for the personality of the brothers but their original concept and the story they came from belongs to Pixar. Please don't sue me- you'd only get your merchandise in the lawsuit.

Also, I haven't written this story with the accents. I think they're a bit distracting as a writer so you'll have to imagine them when you read. Brownie points if you do :]

Any questions or comments, please feel free to review or message me.

Cheers!  
-Wisperer


	3. The Return

**Chapter 2**

* * *

The throne room was crawling with soldiers by the time Elinor had managed to sneak out of her room. The walls echoed their thunderous cries of indignation throughout the castle and every now and then the sharp clash of steel against steel pierced the air. The few servants she ran into avoided eye contact as they scuttled passed her, eager to put a safe distance between themselves and the room of armed warriors. A few of the more daring servants were hiding in the outskirts of the crowd and Elinor envied their ability to go unnoticed. She had been forced to find refuge behind a stone pillar barely larger than herself. Her view dismal at best, the tightly packed soldiers making it difficult to spot the three strangers. Standing on her toes she tried to find where the heart of the mob when a fortunate shift of a lance revealed their tell-tale red hair.

Someone had given them simple rags to wear, torn and dirty from their trip up to the castle. Elinor could just make out from her hiding place the two guards stationed on either side of the men and the tight rope binding their hands out in front of them. The strangers were just as riled up as the soldiers, fighting against their bonds and growling at any guard that got too close. One of them did nothing but stand with his shoulders thrown back and chin held high. His eyes were murderous. She recognized him instantly as the second man.

Elinor wiped her sweaty hands on the side of her dress and clung to the stone wall she hid behind. She shouldn't be down there- her father had specifically told her to remain in her room when he had found out what had happened. But despite his outrage and scolding and worry she couldn't bring herself to just sit around and wait for someone to tell her an overly exaggerated version of what had happened. She wouldn't have long. The maid who had been not-so-secretly assigned to guard her would realize she was gone soon.

She tentatively poked her head out from behind her pillar and found that she had an unobstructed view of her dad sitting on his throne. His thick beard did nothing to conceal the deep scowl on his face. His demeanor was calm but his gaze was unyielding as he looked down at the strangers. Elinor could tell by the way his fingers curled against the arms of the chair that his diplomatic stance was beginning to waver.

"I ask you again, from where to you hail?" Her father asked gruffly. One of the men let out vicious snarl and he was given a sharp smack with the flat of a blade. She heard an angry roar and suddenly one of the guards was knocked off his feet and sent sprawling on the floor as he fought against the bounded blue-eyed man he had struck. Three more soldiers jumped on him and she lost sight of the group as they all struggled to subdue the enraged stranger. One of the brothers was forced back with a heavy shield when he made an attempt to aid his clansmen. The second brother responded by snarling at her father as though he would have liked nothing but to rip out his throat with his bare teeth.

She certainly hoped it wouldn't come to that. Startling the princess was one thing, but attacking the king? That was sure to lead to bloodshed. Especially with so many warriors so eager to brawl.

Elinor felt helpless. This was all just one big misunderstanding- they had done nothing wrong! She hadn't meant for them to be captured or handled so roughly. They had done nothing to endanger her and yet she was the reason they were being treated like criminals. Strangers or not, they didn't deserve to be unjustly punished for her sake. They were unusual, granted, but they didn't appear to know what they were doing. She remembered the bright look of joy in the first brother's face when she had taken her shoes back. It contrasted horribly against the wide and genuinely frightened eyes she had seen just before being pulled back by an arriving guard into the undergrowth. She shifted nervously, ducking when one of the soldiers came too close for comfort. The crowd was getting restless.

A low rumble came from the second man. "Very well, perhaps a night in the dungeons will loosen your tongues. Take them away!" Her father boomed. The guards made to grab the men and the strangers shook as they fought mercilessly against their ropes. The backs of their muscles bulged and for a second it seemed that the binds would snap apart. A few of the soldiers began to lift their swords up, ready to attack.

The dungeons! Her mind reeled at the thought of those kind blue eyes locked away. She had to do something. The men were getting progressively more violent, sharp cries of pain joining in when the indiscernible growls and shouts.

Taking a deep breath she stepped out from behind the pillar. No one noticed. Another bellow came from one of the brothers, causing the soldiers to rush forward until she couldn't see any trace of the strange men.

"Don't hurt them!" Some of the men standing close by turned her way but did nothing to show they acknowledged her words.

"Leave them alone!" she shouted. The strangers froze at the sound of her voice. Confused, her dad followed their gaze and noticed her for the first time. The guards moved and her father once again came into view. He was frowning.

"Elinor-"

"Dad, they've done nothing wrong." Elinor pushed her way through the crowd until she was between the men and her father.

She could feel the way the room shifted uneasily at the sight of their princess among them, many turning to their king. She had caught her father off guard but Elinor knew he wasn't very happy to see her. He wasn't the sort to be strict when it came to following his orders but when it jeopardized her safety he wasn't very lenient.

"I thought I asked you to stay in your room-" he warned

She interjected, motioning towards the strangers behind her "There's no reason to lock them away"

"Then why do they not speak for themselves" her father said, glaring at the second man.

"They can't. I don't know how to explain but they aren't here to hurt anyone." She turned to the red-headed strangers. She recognized the first man by the way he looked at her hopefully. He had been the one held back by three guards though right now he seemed more afraid than dangerous. "They're just trying to defend themselves" she told the soldiers.

Her father was unconvinced. "Elinor, I've heard enough. Return to your quarters while I deal with them" he said firmly. The first man let out a quiet whimper and offered his hands out to her. The third man was no longer fighting the guards, instead standing timidly with his shoulders hunched. The second man turned his attention to her but remained expressionless as he waited to see what she would to next.

"Elinor" her father said sharply. She hardened her resolve and stepped to the first man. She knelt down before him, grabbing a hold of his outstretched wrists, and fumbled with the rope. It had cut into his skin and some parts had been rubbed raw, blood dribbling down his forearm. The guards protested, stepping forward only to be stopped by the second brother who suddenly rounded on them, baring his teeth as he fought against the soldiers who held his arms back.

The binds came undone and the man rubbed his wrists. Countless swords and lances were trained on the man. He ignored them, smiling gratefully at the princess. Elinor asked if he was alright and he let out a low coo. His eyes stared up at her and once again the nagging feeling that she knew him clawed at the back of her mind.

"They mean me no harm, dad" She said. She moved on to the other brother and started at the knots again.

"That's enough, Elinor" her father called out. She could hear him rise from his throne behind her. Elinor doubled her efforts but her father stopped her hands just before she could finish. The first man suddenly hissed, jumping to his feet.

"No! Wait!" Elinor ran to push the man away from her dad. The red-headed man watched in confusion. He let out a low grumble, looking first at her hands then at her father before lowering his head. The soldiers around them seemed amazed by the sudden submissiveness. He had, after all, been previously trying to wrestle them all to the ground with his hands tied down in front of him.

"Elinor, who are these men?" her father asked her quietly.

She wished she could have answered her father. She wished she could have justified her reason for feeling as though she had to defend these men from an angry mob of warriors and soldiers who were convinced they were dangerous. And who blamed them? They towered over most of the crowd and even her father, who was amongst the biggest and strongest in the room, barely had an inch or two over them.

"I-" she stammered. The first man lifted his gaze to wait for her answer.

The stranger's bright blue stare made her feel like she was missing something. Something important. The feeling was unsettling and she couldn't tear her eyes away. "I don't know. I found them when I was climbing. They don't seem to be able to speak." The stranger smiled again, kind eyes crinkling around the edges as a single red curl fell across his face.

A memory of her mother flashed before her eyes, when she used smile at her just like that. When she used to hold her hands as they sat together and a rebellious coil of her hair would cross her face as she laughed with her daughter.

"Mum?" she whispered.

Her father frowned. "What did you say?"

Elinor stepped back, looking at all three brothers now. They all watched her.

"Dad" she whirled around. "Dad, do they…look familiar?"

He shook his head in confusion "What do you mean?"

"I mean do they look familiar? Look at them- their eyes I mean."

Her dad stared at her for a moment or two before reluctantly giving in and studying the men before him. She hoped her father would see it too. He had to.

The same idea that had taken hold of her seemed to dawn on him. "Where did you find these men?" he repeated again, more firmly than before.

"I told you-"

"The forest? When? How long ago?"

He was getting louder, frightening her with how adamantly he asked his questions. "Just this morning. I've never seen them before today." She bit her lip. "Dad…do you see it?"

"Their hair" he whispered. "A shade like that I've not seen since…" He trailed off, realizing they weren't alone in the room.

"Out." He ordered his men "All of you"

A few protested weakly but he shook his head, holding up his hand as he continued to study the red-headed strangers. They all filed out slowly until the very last one closed the door shut behind him. The room was quiet now.

Elinor could feel herself grow excited despite not knowing why. There was something very special about these men, something that had brought them to their kingdom. Her father stepped forward and undid the rope around the wrists of the second brother. Elinor quickly went before the third, finishing the final knot before smiling at the man. He didn't look at her, instead watching as the second man was freed from his bonds. Elinor wondered if the second was their leader, though he seemed no older than any of them. In fact they looked exactly alike in every way, except perhaps the manner they carried themselves.

"Elinor, are you sure you found these men in the forest?"

"I've never seen them before today" she repeated. She was beginning to think her father knew something she didn't. "What is it, dad?"

"Your mother had hair like this. As did her father before her. She had his eye too. I remember; I saw them for the first time when I first came here to compete for the Highland Games."

"Compete? For what?"

"Your mother's hand in marriage" he said, circling the second man. If the stranger minded he didn't show, remaining still and proud as his eyes locked on Elinor's in that strange and eerie way that seemed like he was trying to look into her.

Elinor turned to her father "Mum's hand? But she chose you…didn't she?"

"Ay, she did" a ghost of a smile crept onto his face "Though not at first"

"Are you taking about the Highland Games- the one where she Notched the Three Arrows?" she asked. The third man stepped closer to his brother, scrunching up his face as he stared at the king. It seemed like her dad wasn't the only one who recognized someone from the past.

"They'll not remember me, it was too long ago and they were too young. Much too young." He turned to her. He must have seen the confusion in her face. He placed his hands on her shoulders.

"Elinor, I've only seen them once, a long time ago. Your grandfather- he passed on his most distinguishing features to members of his line. Your mother had them and there were three others." He looked over his shoulder at the red-headed strangers watching him closely.

"Her brothers Harris, Hubert and Hamish."

"You mean-?"

"Lass, these are your uncles."


End file.
